


Kingdom Hearts: Pieces of χ

by Stormshadow



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, KHUX - Freeform, Multigenerational, Non-explicit sexual elements, Other, Post-KHIII
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 04:09:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21130517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormshadow/pseuds/Stormshadow
Summary: After the grueling end of the Keyblade War, the survivors are trying to settle back into their normal lives and put their hurt behind them. Two years of relative peace have allowed hearts to settle, new bonds to be made, and unspoken feelings revealed, and everyone is just trying to find their places in the worlds. Little do they know, the War may not yet be over, and Luxu has plans for the χ-Blade and his newly summoned fellow apprentices.Meanwhile, two former Nobodies unwittingly make a discovery that will drastically alter their destinies, and a Keyblade Master will have to walk the line of life and death if he has any hopes of finding a lost heart- and perhaps play a game while he does it.References to most if not all games (KHUx included) and major spoilers for Kingdom Hearts III. Character tags will be updated as needed.Pairings play a role but are not the central focus of the story!*Story drafted and started before the release of Re:Mind*





	1. Prelude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End of the World may have finally come.

The Clocktower began to shudder once again as flickers of darkness and glitches in the data sparked around the Foretellers’ Chamber. Ephemer stumbled and grabbed a chair to recover his balance, and he summoned his Keyblade and swatted away a Shadow that had broken in and lunged for him. His rule book lay open and face down on the ground nearby, tossed aside in frustration and pages torn as it had been desperately flipped through again and again with no results. The bell at the top of the tower clanged gracelessly when the quaking grew strong enough to disturb it.  
The shaking subsided again and Ephemer slowly got back to his feet and straightened up, though darkness still hung heavy in the air. He debated with himself for a moment whether to leave and go out looking for his friends, or if he should wait any longer to see if they showed up like he had instructed. The more time passed, the more uncomfortable he grew with their absence, and he had no idea how much longer they had before darkness swallowed Daybreak Town once and for all. He had pieces of a plan in his head, or so he hoped, but there was no way he could put in into action by himself.  
“Ephemer?!” The door to the chamber swung open and Skuld and Ventus stumbled in, Heartless pursuing them relentlessly. As soon as they were clear, Ventus slammed the door shut and leaned against it, breathing heavily. Skuld hunched over with her hands on her knees, her Keyblade still held tightly.  
“Thank goodness you’re okay,” she panted. “Sorry we’re late.” Ephemer shook his head.  
“Ven, you can come away from the door,” he said quickly. “They shouldn’t be able to breach the chamber en masse just yet.” I hope, he added silently. Ventus didn’t look entirely convinced, but he gingerly stepped away from the door. “Any sign of Brain or Lauriam?” Ephemer went on. Skuld’s crestfallen face gave him all the answer he needed. “I see…”  
“Lauriam was so desperate to find his sister,” Ventus piped up. “I wonder if he got lost looking for her.”  
“Lost how?” Ephemer asked, but Ventus only looked down, no doubt unsure of how to answer. “All right, never mind. We need- Yah!” He yelped as the ground began to shake again, and all three of them braced themselves on the table and chairs.  
“We’re out of time,” Skuld said above the noise. “Some job we did averting the war. Seems all we did was force everyone to endure it a second time.”  
“No, this wasn’t us,” Ephemer snapped, surprising her. “We did everything we could, and I don’t believe Master Ava set us up to fail. Not on her own, anyway.”  
“You think someone else put her up to it?” Ventus asked, and he let out a breath of relief as the shaking subsided.  
“I do,” Ephemer went on in a more normal volume. “I don’t think the war was inevitable. But-“ All three of them dove to the ground as a sudden great quake knocked them off their feet, and cracks began to form in the walls and ceiling. Ephemer scrambled back to his feet and offered Skuld a helping hand, and Ventus sprung up a pace away.  
“Never mind,” Ephemer said shortly. “What matters now is that the war is happening regardless of our efforts, and we’re out of time.”  
“Then what do we do?” Ventus asked in a small voice. “Is there no hope at all? Nothing we can do?” Ephemer frowned and tightened his grip on his Keyblade.  
“I… I may have a plan,” he said. “We may not have hope now, but I refuse to believe this is the end. The people of the future need a guiding light, and it’s our role to give them one. We’ll send that light to the next world…” His gaze fell on the young boy in his company. “Like the wind carries the seeds of a dandelion.” Ventus looked nothing short of confused. Ephemer exchanged a quick glance with Skuld, who nodded, and he returned his attention to Ventus.  
“I’m sorry to put this on you, Ven,” he said. “But I know you have a strong heart full of light. You can bring that light to the next world.”  
“But-“ Ventus protested with wide eyes. “No, I won’t leave you! You guys are my friends! My only friends… I can’t just abandon you!” Ephemer smiled and knelt down slightly, and he rested his hand on Ventus’s shoulder.  
“Our hearts are connected. This isn’t goodbye forever. And besides, no matter what, I have a feeling you’ll never be alone again. Your friends will be by your side no matter when and where you end up.”  
“But-“  
Ephemer didn’t give him a chance to argue again.  
“Sleep.” He pressed his hand to Ventus’s forehead and a light shone from it. Ventus fought with everything he had to resist, but the spell won out in the end. He shut his eyes and nearly fell back, but Ephemer caught him and set him down gently. “You’re the best chance the future has, Ven,” he said softly. “I hope you’ll forget the pain you’ve endured.”  
“But his heart will never forget the bonds he’s formed,” Skuld said as she approached them. “You’re right. He’s our best chance.” Ephemer nodded, though his face fell.  
“I wish I could protect everyone…” he said. “I’m sorry, Skuld.” She shook her head vigorously.  
“I’m not leaving you, got it?” She smiled, and this brought out his as well. He looked back to the sleeping Ventus.  
“Chirithy,” he called, and the little creature appeared. “I need you to do me a favor and watch over him, okay? However you think is best. Just make sure he’s safe. Can you do that?”  
“Of course,” Chirithy replied, determined. “He’ll sleep peacefully until it’s time for him to wake up. I’ll keep the nightmares away.”  
“Good.” Ephemer scratched the top of the spirit’s head. “Good luck, Chirithy.”  
“You too.” With that, the spirit vanished, and the Clocktower’s shaking grew more violent, leaving Ephemer and Skuld fighting to stay standing. Ephemer raised his Keyblade toward the sleeping boy.  
“May your heart be your guiding Key.”


	2. Chapter I: Stirrings of a Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxas and Xion may have finally accepted that they’ve left the Organization behind.

It was almost two years after Xehanort’s defeat. The Guardians of Light kept in contact but had, for the most part, withdrawn to their own homes and lives, trying to gain back some semblance of normalcy. Aqua, Terra, and Ventus spent their time training and watching over the worlds in the Land of Departure. Kairi, Naminé, and Riku had returned to Destiny Islands, Kairi helping her former Nobody adjust to daily life and Riku still working nearly constantly on a way to find Sora and bring him back. Lea, Roxas, and Xion had moved into a small house in Twilight Town. Lea worked at a shop and Roxas and Xion did odd jobs amidst going to school. Hayner, Pence, and Olette had been invaluable in helping them adjust and catch up, and they were just starting their final year.  
It had been a fairly eventful first day back from break, and not in the best way. It had been right after classes had ended, and Roxas had been waved over by Hayner and Pence about some sports tryouts. Roxas hadn’t participated in any competitions outside of the Struggle Tournament every summer, feeling his athleticism and combat experience thanks to being a Keyblade wielder gave him an unfair advantage. Pence understood this, but of course Hayner urged him to go for it anyway.  
“It’s not like it’s cheating, man!” He laughed. “It’s what you’re capable of. So what if you wipe the floor with the other guys? Teach ‘em a lesson!”  
“People already look at me funny after the Struggle bouts,” Roxas pointed out lightly, a smile on his face. “I don’t really want that kind of attention.” Hayner pouted at him, and Roxas and Pence could only laugh in response.  
Roxas’s laughter faded away when he turned to rejoin Xion, and he found her cornered against a wall by another boy in their class. Roxas couldn’t see his face, but he could tell well enough that the boy wasn’t happy and Xion was downright uncomfortable.  
“Stuck up little prude!” the boy spat. “You think you’re so great?”  
“Alvis, please,” Xion nearly squeaked. “Don’t make a scene! Just leave me alone.”  
“A scene, eh?” Alvis snorted. “I come up all nice and offer to take you out, and you have the guts to say ‘no’ like you’re all that.”  
“No, nothing like that!” Xion insisted. Her hand gave an involuntary twitch, but she thankfully did not summon her Keyblade. She, Roxas, and Lea has agreed that it was best to keep a low profile, and suddenly producing a giant key from nowhere certainly wouldn’t have helped the cause.  
“Then what is it?” Alvis demanded. Xion’s brow furrowed, her fear and discomfort at the situation quickly morphing into anger. She took a hard step toward him and looked him straight in the eye.  
“Because unlike you, I actually have some dignity,” she snapped. “I don’t let my mask of a social life define me. And I don’t care about impressing a bunch of shallow, self-absorbed jerks!” Alvis stared at her, stunned into silence. Their exchange had gathered quite a bit of attention from students leaving the school. His anger boiled quickly.  
“You bitch,” he growled. “No one talks to me like that.”  
Roxas was well aware of the fact that Xion was more than capable of taking care of herself.  
He also was aware that, in that moment, he didn’t care.  
He quickly crossed the pavilion in front of the school, grabbed Alvis’s shoulder, spun him around, and delivered a hard punch to his jaw. Alvis stumbled back, holding a hand up to his face, and he glared at Roxas.  
“Don’t you dare talk to her like that,” he seethed. Alvis straightened up and walked up to him.  
“Or what?” Roxas smirked.  
“Next one will be aimed at your nose.”  
“Oh, you wanna go?!” Alvis laughed. “Come on, then! Someone’s gotta put you in your place.” Despite his supposed opponent taking up something resembling a fighting stance, Roxas shook his head and crossed his arms.  
“You’re not worth my time,” he said. “Just knock it off and learn how to take ‘no’ as an answer.” He turned and held his arm out to Xion, who quickly ran over to him, and he kept a protective pace at her side. Alvis yelled wordlessly and barreled toward them, fist aimed for the blond boy. Roxas hardly acknowledged it. A self-worshipping teenager was nothing compared to a Neoshadow, or a Guard Armor, or a Dustflier. Roxas stepped to the side just as Alvis lunged for him, and the other boy went straight to the ground. Hayner whooped and laughed behind them, jeering at Alvis and singing praises for Roxas. Roxas nodded to him with a small smile, then picked up his pace with Xion close to his side.  
They walked in silence until they reached the tram common, passing the Bistro and their favorite ice cream shop. The two stopped and waited for a train to go by, and Xion leaned her head on Roxas’s shoulder.  
“Thanks for rescuing me,” she said. He shook his head.  
“You’re the last person who needs rescuing,” he replied. “I know you could have handled it. I just…” he frowned. “I can’t stand anyone insulting you like that.” He paused and turned to her. “Let me guess. He asked you out, you said no, and his bruised ego took over?”  
“Pretty much,” she nodded. “Tried to butter me up with some empty compliments. I just wanted to leave.” She shrugged. “Even after two years, people can still tell we’re different. Showed up out of the blue and try to act like nothing happened.” He shook his head.  
“They can think whatever they want to.” He cracked a smile. “We don’t owe anyone an explanation. After all, we helped save their butts from eternal darkness!” Xion laughed and nodded.  
“Thanks again for rescuing me,” she said, and his eyes softened.  
“Thanks for bringing me home.” He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.  
“Speaking of going home,” she smiled coyly. “Do you want to yet?” He took her hand and squeezed it.  
“Maybe not quite yet.” He adjusted his backpack on his shoulder and they meandered through the plaza toward the underground passage. The short trip through it was less than ideal, and Xion wrinkled her nose at the smell. Neither of them were certain they would ever get used to it, but seeing as the Usual Spot was more communal than they cared for at times, it was worth the trip. She took a deep breath once they emerged in the woods between town and the old mansion where the sounds from the tram common had faded. Roxas started climbing up the wall to an overhang nestled between the treetops, and Xion followed him up. He offered his hand with a smile and she took it gently. He pulled her up onto the overhang where the golden orange sunlight left shadows of the leaves dappling. The two settled in, Roxas with his back to the wall and Xion leaning in against his chest.  
“I still think I beat you fair and square,” she teased.  
“What, the Struggle Tournament again?” He laughed. “I let you win. No wonder the guys are so interested in you.” He kissed the top of her head. “Smart, funny, strong, and beautiful.”  
“Oh, hush,” she smacked his arm. “Too bad I’m taken.” They both abruptly fell silent as soon as the words left her mouth, faces flushed.  
“So… then…” Roxas stumbled over the words. “Are we… together?” She looked up shyly.  
“Roxas, I…” she took a breath as her face grew even redder. “I first realized I loved you back in the Organization.” He blinked at this little revelation.  
The two of them had hardly left each other’s sides ever since their reunion in the Keyblade Graveyard. For quite some time, Roxas had a sense of terror in the back of his mind and heart that he would lose her again, and he wasn’t sure he could bear that pain a second time. That nearly irrational fear had settled down over the past two years, but he couldn’t help but be protective of her.  
One thing that still hadn’t entirely gone away was the nightmares that plagued them both, of their harrowing battles in and against the Organization and of the terrible darkness that had nearly engulfed them when Xehanort had obtained the χ-Blade. One night had been particularly bad, and Xion had been shaking like a leaf when she came knocking on Roxas’s bedroom door, asking to stay with him. He’d gladly agreed, and such nights had become more and more frequent even as the nightmares lessened. These days, they spent almost every night together, curled up with each other peacefully. Even Lea was, as far as they knew, unaware of this.  
Their time together had slowly grown more affectionate: the occasional holding hands, a peck on the cheek, a hug that was a little too close and a little too long to just be between friends. They occasionally stole away to a relatively private spot like the one they were in now just for some time alone, lounging together and holding each other. Yet, despite all of this, neither of them had entirely made the connection that they could be a couple. Roxas attributed that to their rather limited knowledge and interaction with the world, or perhaps that was his excuse rather than just being too shy about it. Perhaps they were both afraid that actually saying it would somehow break what they had. That making it real would allow someone to swoop in and tear them apart again.  
“Really?” He finally managed to say. She just sort of stared at him. “I think… I did too,” he admitted. “I mean I think I realized I loved you. Or at least I wondered if that’s why I was feeling that way about you.” He chuckled. “I once asked Xaldin to explain what love was, but he was no help.” Xion giggled softly, and she sat up to meet his level gaze.  
“I still do, Roxas,” she said gently. “There’s not a doubt in my mind or my heart. I love you.” He smiled and felt an inexplicable lump form in his throat.  
“I love you too, Xion.” It felt strange to say the words aloud, but at the same time, it was liberating.  
Slowly, shyly, Xion leaned in closer to him, her eyes locked with his. She stopped and hesitated only a few hairs away from him, and he could feel her shaky breath tickle his face. With the slightest tilt of his head, Roxas closed that last tiny space between them and touched his lips to hers. His heart pounded and his face flushed, a shiver going down his spine. Xion allowed the contact to continue for a moment longer before breaking it, barely, and returning her flustered gaze to his. He smiled and stroked his fingers along her cheek, and she took that as an invitation to kiss him again. This one was a bit less awkward, though not by much, but as far as he was concerned, it was perfect. He tilted his head and rested his hands on her arms, steadying her as she pressed her lips more firmly to his.  
It was a fairly innocent, unpracticed kiss, but Roxas didn’t want it to end. Even when it inevitably did, he pulled her into his lap and she rested her head against his chest, and he stroked her black hair gently. She gave him a soft, content murmur, and he smiled as he leaned his head back to look at the leaves above him and the twilight sky beyond.


	3. Chapter II- Vulnerability

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saving Riku from himself has become part of Naminé’s daily routine, though this day’s check on him doesn’t go quite as planned.

It was about midmorning when Naminé arrived at Riku’s relatively small home. He had bought it as soon as he had turned eighteen and hadn’t bothered to try to go back to school. He’d said that everything that had happened had made something like classes way too trivial for him to deal with, and he had withdrawn from most of the residents of Destiny Islands save Kairi and Naminé, though neither of them saw him much lately unless they came knocking on his door.   
Naminé found him hunched over in a chair, head on his desk and sleeping as deeply as he could in such an awkward position. Scraps of paper with half-scratched notes were scattered across the desk around him, and his wall was littered with what snippets of research and information he thought was useful as he tried to put them together. His Gummi Phone lay on the desk’s corner along with a handful of pens and pencils.  
Almost as soon as the relief over Xehanort’s defeat had begun to settle, Riku had devoted nearly every waking moment to trying to figure out where Sora had gone and how to get him back; that is, if it was even possible. Kairi could only vaguely remember a vast expanse of water and not much else from her brief time beyond. Riku had poured over dozens, if not hundreds, of books, research notes, and legends in the span of the last two years, and he regularly contacted Ansem and his apprentices to go over what hypotheses he came up with. Unfortunately, none of them had given him any successful leads. Both Kairi and Naminé were worried about his health, but he always told them the same thing.   
“Sora saved me so many times. The least I can do is repay the favor.”   
Having spent so much time piecing together Sora’s memories and following the figurative threads that bound him to so many others, Naminé had offered to help with whatever insight she could give. It was oddly like the months when Sora had been asleep, when she had worked on restoring his memory and Riku did a lot of the outside legwork to collect the missing pieces. She wasn’t certain if the stakes were lower or higher this time, but at least they knew what they were working with before.   
Kairi, of course, offered to help when and where she could, but Riku insisted on going over every piece of information himself so he didn’t miss anything. Instead, Kairi had taken the time to help Naminé adjust to life on Destiny Islands, and the two had grown to be like sisters. Naminé was deeply grateful that Kairi showed her no resentment even after learning what had happened to Sora in Castle Oblivion.  
Now, Naminé stepped quietly to Riku’s side and shook his shoulder gently. She took a practiced leap back when Riku startled awake, summoning his Keyblade on instinct alone and pointing it at her. She had no fear that he would do her harm, but her heart ached for how much pain and terror still haunted him. It took maybe two seconds for him to register who it was that had woken him up, and he straightened up and dismissed his Keyblade.   
“Sorry about that,” he said as he rubbed his eyes with one hand. “What time is it?”  
“About 10:30,” Naminé replied, and she set the bag she was carrying on his desk. “How late were you up?” He frowned.   
“I lost track around 3:00…?” Naminé gave him a helpless, gentle smile.   
“You need to take better care of yourself,” she scolded lightly. “You’re not going to be helping anyone if you collapse or get sick.” She opened the bag and handed him a container with several slices of fruit and a helping of jerky inside.   
“Can’t be any worse than being trapped in the darkness,” he muttered as he sat down again and started nibbling on his food. “Thanks,” he added. “By the way, how did you get in here? I know I lock my door every night.”   
“Um…” she tucked a stray lock of blond hair behind her ear with a sheepish smile, then reached into her bag and pulled out a key. “I had a copy made a few months ago. I know I probably should have told you, but I just wanted to make sure I could reach you if you needed help. I knocked several times to see if you were up.” He nodded.   
“I guess it doesn’t hurt to have a backup,” he said with a shrug. “So what brings you by?” She sat down on the edge of his bed that, she noticed, hadn’t been touched in several nights from the look of it.  
“I wanted to check on you,” she replied. “Someone needs to keep you healthy, after all.” He lowered his head and closed his eyes.   
“Thanks,” he said again. “I really do appreciate the help.” He looked back up at her. “Look, I know you and Kairi don’t like how I’m doing all this, but…” He set the container aside and took a breath. “It’s already been so long. The more time it takes for me to figure this out, the longer he’s waiting wherever he is.” He wrung his hands together, fidgeting his leg. “I don’t know how much time he has left, if any at all. We can’t afford to waste a moment.”   
“I know,” Naminé said with a nod, and she stood up and placed a hand on his shoulder. “I think he’s still out there somewhere. We’ll find him one way or another. But how do you think he’ll feel if he finds out you’ve destroyed yourself in the process of finding him?”  
“He’ll probably give me an earful, but it’ll be worth it to bring him home.”   
“We will,” she said again. “Don’t give up hope, Riku. We’ll bring him back.” He shut his eyes and leaned in against her, almost as if he’d gone limp. While she had gotten used to most of his behaviors, this was not one of them, and she resisted a shy step away. Instead, she gently ran her fingers along his hair, and as she did, a small smile flickered on his face. Thankfully, with his eyes shut like that, he couldn’t see the flush in her cheeks.   
“Thanks for taking care of me,” he said. “It is nice to have someone to lean on.” Evidently, this meant literally as well as figuratively. His breath slowed and he slacked a bit, and she had to brace her foot back as she held on to him.   
“You need more sleep,” she said. “Come on, you’ll be a lot more comfortable if you lay down.” She pulled him to his feet and helped him over to the bed, pulling back the covers for him. He settled in, already, or perhaps still, half asleep, and she sat down next to him for a moment.  
“Get some rest, Riku,” she said gently with a smile. “Don’t worry. You can get back to work once you have a clear mind.” She started to stand up, but his hand took hold of her wrist. He didn’t even open his eyes.  
“Please stay…” he mumbled. She stared at him a moment longer, heart fluttering in her chest, but the sweet look on his face threatened to make her melt.   
“Okay,” she replied softly, and she kicked off her sandals and laid down next to him over the blanket. He shifted a bit closer to her.  
“Thank you, Naminé,” he barely said, and that was it. He was out like a light.   
Naminé had about a hundred questions going through her head regarding this peculiar behavior. He was always friendly to her and appreciated her help and insight, but he was never this… vulnerable. Maybe he really did need the break and he was thankful that someone finally forced him to take it. Or maybe, she found herself hoping somewhere in the depths of her heart, there was something more.   
She shook the thoughts away and decided that she would simply focus on being whatever he needed her to be. It was the least she could do in return for everything he had done for her. And if he needed her to watch over him and let him feel safe, she was glad to do so.   
She settled in a bit more comfortably and played gently with a few stray locks of his hair as she watched his chest rise and fall slowly. Even as he slept, a small smile twitched on his lips, and she mirrored it. She would indeed stay with him and be there when he finally woke, and when he was ready to get back to work, she would be there then as well. At that moment, she couldn’t think of anything that would make her happier.


	4. Chapter III: The Light in the Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been a long and difficult recovery for Aqua and her friends, but she finally feels ready to face the deepest feelings in her heart.

It had been a day like any other in the Land of Departure, and Ventus and Terra had just finished a spar as the sun began to set on their world. Both were panting and sweaty, and Terra had just managed to edge out Ventus for victory. Aqua sat on the steps leading up to the castle, a smile on her face as she watched them. They both agreed to rely only on basic skills, rather than the rather powerful magic and techniques they had picked up since Terra and Aqua’s exam. Ventus hasn’t made victory easy, as he was as quick and nimble as ever, something Terra’s hard-hitting style had trouble matching. But when his strikes did connect, they did so incredibly well, and Ventus had been crumpled on the ground with the wind knocked out of him when he finally surrendered.   
“Nice job, man,” Terra said breathlessly as he offered Ventus his hand, and Ventus took it and got back to his feet. He had finally grown quite a bit over the past two years, and now stood only a few inches below Terra.  
“You too!” He chuckled, stretching as well as he could. “Whoo, I’m gonna feel that tomorrow.” They both looked over as Aqua approached them, a smile on her face.   
“Here, let me help.” She summoned Stormfall and lifted it, and a green light fell over the two of them. Their injuries evaporated with hardly any difficulty on her part. Her magic had become even stronger since her return to the Realm of Light, not that it hadn’t already been impressive before. “You both must be exhausted. That went on for a while!”  
“Eh…” Terra shrugged. “Gotta stay in shape.” He looked at Ventus and smiled. “Can’t have you getting too far ahead of me!”  
“Doubt that will ever happen,” Ventus laughed. “Thanks for the thought, though.” He stretched again, thankful for Aqua’s assistance. “I think I’m ready to call it a day.”   
“Yeah…” Terra agreed, and Aqua nodded. The three headed up the stairs and into the castle, and they bade each other good night as they went toward their rooms. Ventus looked up curiously as Aqua followed him.  
“What’s up?” He wondered, and she, to his confusion, shied away just a bit.   
“Can I talk to you for a moment?” She asked, and he nodded. They stepped over to the side of the hallway and he locked his hands behind his head.   
“What’s on your mind?”  
“I… wanted to ask you something…” she said a tad hesitantly. He tilted his head.   
“Okay? What is it?” She looked down for a moment, and her face flushed a shade pink.   
“I… um… I was wondering…” she peeked up to meet his gaze. “Would you… Do you want to go on a… on a date?” He blinked.   
“A… Date?” He repeated. “Like… going out… you and me?” She nodded. Now, it was his turn to feel shy. “I…” he smiled. “Yeah, yeah! I’d love to! That sounds like fun.” Her face lit up.   
“Wonderful!” She almost laughed. “I was thinking we could finally go to that Bistro in Twilight Town. I’ve heard a lot of good things.”  
“Even if the food is more or less made by a rat,” Ventus said, and Aqua snickered.   
“Maybe we can go tomorrow evening?” He nodded.   
“Yeah! I’m looking forward to it!”  
The next evening, Ventus has put on some somewhat nicer clothes than he usually wore, though nothing fancy by any means, and his attempts to tame down his hair were futile. He kept his pauldron strapped to his shoulder as usual, both for a means of transportation and just in case. He paced about the forecourt in front of the castle, waiting for Aqua to join him. When the doors opened, he looked up to find not her, but Terra coming down the steps. The newcomer looked a touch confused.  
“Since when do you get all dressed up?” he wondered with a casual, friendly smile.   
“I’m hardly ‘dressed up,’” Ventus replied. “But I’m… going out tonight.” Terra almost laughed.   
“Going out? What’s the occasion?” Ventus started to give him an awkward response, but stopped and looked up as the castle doors opened once again and Aqua came down the stairs. She had put on a dark blue blouse and a white skirt that came to just above her knees along with black leggings. Just like Ventus, she kept her pauldron on her left arm. Terra stared at her quizzically, though not unkindly.  
“Did I miss something?” He asked. “Like… is there something going on today that I forgot about?”  
“No, not at all,” Aqua laughed. “Ven and I are off to Twilight Town for the evening.”   
“Uh…” Terra blinked. “Any… specific reason?” Ventus shrunk back a bit in embarrassment. Aqua, meanwhile, stepped toward Terra with a smile and her hands folded behind her back.   
“Don’t be too mad,” she teased. “I asked him out on a date.” Terra’s face blanked.   
“Date?” He echoed. It took him a few moments to process this information. Finally, he shook his head and smiled. “Oh, alright then. Don’t let me keep you. Go have fun!” Aqua nodded and touched his shoulder for a moment, then joined Ventus in the forecourt.   
Now, they were about finished with their meals, sitting at a table off to the side under the orange light and shadows cast by the sunset. They had talked about all manner of things, discussing the state of the worlds since Xehanort’s defeat, their recovery over the past two years along with Terra, their hopes for the future, and how proud they both were of the generation of Keyblade wielders that had come after them. Ventus couldn’t help but keep an eye out around the tram common, wondering if he would catch sight of Roxas, Xion, or Lea, but his occasional glances away from Aqua or his meal didn’t yield anything.   
He took the last bite of his food and shoved his plate back, his stomach comfortably full. As he watched Aqua finish hers, he finally summoned the courage to ask her the question that had been burning in his mind since the previous night.   
“So… I’m just wondering,” he said. “Why did you ask me out?” He couldn’t help but feel his face warm. She looked up from her now empty plate with a raised brow.   
“That’s a fair question, I suppose,” she said with a smile as she set her fork down. “It did come out of the blue, didn’t it?” He shrugged. “I’d… been thinking about it for a while, actually,” she admitted. “It just took me a while to finally work up the nerve. I…” She looked down and took a breath. “I care about you, Ven. A lot.”  
“I care about you too,” he replied. “And I know you do… I just never thought it was… like that.” He paused, chewing on his lip. “Is it… like that?” She met his gaze again, then stood up.   
“Could we go somewhere a bit more private?” She asked.  
“Of course.” He jumped to his feet, and the two of them headed away from the Bistro and up to the station plaza overlooking the rest of town. It allowed for a gorgeous view of the sunset, and Aqua leaned against the half wall around the plaza itself. Ventus stood next to her, watching her as she looked out at the horizon.  
“I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to tell you this,” she said. “It’s been difficult to find the words, and even more so to recall it all. But… when I was in the Realm of Darkness, wandering through the endless shadow, I started finding the remnants of worlds that had fallen.” He couldn’t help but be a bit surprised. She had never given any details about her time there, and neither he nor Terra wanted to pry. “The first one I found was the castle from Cinderella’s world. The darkness started to worm its way into the cracks in my heart… I had been wandering for so long.” Ventus came to her side, leaning on the wall himself. Sympathy sparkled in his eyes.   
“I started seeing visions, or memories, or illusions… I wasn’t entirely sure. When I reached the castle, I saw Terra walking down the steps almost like when I had run into him before in that same world. Looking back, I’m fairly sure that was just a memory that the darkness was trying to use to throw me off.  
“Some long while later, I came to the ruins of the Enchanted Dominion. I saw you and Terra walking away from me, and I tried so hard to catch up… When I finally did, Terra spoke to me. He said his heart was shrouded in darkness, and Xehanort had been using him to try to reach me and find out where I had hidden you.” She shook her head. “I’m so glad he never did find you. I was worried sick.”   
“You made sure I was safe,” he pointed out with a half smile. “So… did I ever talk to you or anything?”   
“No,” she said. “You were silent the entire time. What I was seeing was just an illusion created by the darkness. Terra was there because of Xehanort… But you… You were there for an entirely different reason. And it took me a long time to finally come to terms with it.”  
“What do you mean?” He wondered.   
“Before that, before I found you and Terra, I had made my way through what was left of Snow White’s world. The first thing I saw there was the glass coffin she had been in before the prince woke her up. But when I went to look at it, it wasn’t her in there… it was you.” She shut her eyes. “You vanished almost instantly, but it was a reminder that I had promised to wake you… and the thought that I wouldn’t be able to made me ill inside.” She paused. “At first, I thought that’s what the vision or whatever was about. The darkness was taunting me that I hadn’t been able to wake you. But as I thought more about it, I realized it started to prey on a part of my heart even I hadn’t realized was there.” She turned to him. “Do you know how the prince woke Snow White from her sleep?” He shook his head. “They said it was true love’s kiss.”   
“True love’s kiss…?” He repeated, then it dawned on him. “Oh.” She gave him a small, shy smile.   
“The reason you were in that coffin, the reason I saw you along with Terra…” She fell silent for a moment as she collected herself. “I think it all was because of how my feelings for you had grown. Because of just how much you mean to me.” He gave a small nod, and they stood in silence for a while.   
“You mean the worlds to me,” he finally said. “I care about you a lot, Aqua. I couldn’t bear to see anything happen to you.” He frowned thoughtfully. “Maybe that’s why…” He almost laughed. “Vanitas kept using you against me. Back in the Graveyard before I lost my heart, when he nearly killed you… I don’t think I had ever felt rage like that. I didn’t care what happened to me or anything else. All that mattered to me was protecting you. Same thing when I woke up. I remember sensing through Sora that you were in danger, and I was desperate to save you.” He smiled. “Sora had kept my heart safe and helped me heal for all those years… but you’re the one who brought me home.” She smiled warmly and her eyes glistened, and he placed his hand over hers.   
“I’m glad we made it home,” she said gently, and he nodded.   
“Me too.” She squeezed his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder. He felt his heart speed up in his chest and he could imagine the flush on his face, but he wasn’t sure he could be any happier at that moment. “Thank you for telling me all that,” he said. “I’m sure it isn’t easy talking about what you went through.”   
“It’s behind me now,” she said lightly. “We’re home, and we’re together. Nothing could matter more to me.” They both returned their gazes to the sunset.   
“Me neither,” he agreed. “I wouldn’t want this any other way.”


	5. Chapter IV- No Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s a day like any other in Twilight Town... until a familiar threat appears once again.

It was early morning about a month since school had started, though the only indication of this was the time on Roxas’s alarm clock that had yet to go off. He had woken up a few minutes early for some reason or other, startling Xion next to him. They had unspokenly decided not to waste the extra time they had gained.   
He wasn’t entirely sure how it happened, but his shirt was on the floor next to his bed. Xion lay over him, and he had his arms wrapped around her. Her fingers played with his hair and he kissed her jaw, then her chin, and finally locked his lips with hers and a sound almost like a purr came from her throat. His arms wrapped tighter around her and gripped at the fabric of her shirt, and he found it difficult not to squirm a bit as an increasingly familiar heat ignited in his body and made his heart race. He broke away from her lips and instead moved his to her neck, and her soft gasp and the way she instinctively gripped his hair only spurred him more.   
Slowly, cautiously, his fingers slipped only slightly under the bottom hem of her shirt, and he looked up to meet her flustered gaze. She smiled a bit, and he touched her lower back and began to move his hands up. Her response was fairly instantaneous, a gentle moan escaping her as she kissed him again. He trailed his fingers up her spine, sending a shiver through her as she kissed him deeply, and her hands moved from his hair to his sides. They both froze as he inadvertently pulled up her shirt a bit, causing contact between their bare skin. His eyes locked with hers for a heartbeat, and he grunted as she nearly dove to kiss and nip his neck, and he automatically arched up against her. The movement threatened to send him over the edge of sanity as he found some previously unknown part of him was greedy for more.   
The sudden buzzing of his alarm clock startled both of them, and Xion bolted up to stare at it. She was breathing rather heavily and her face was red, and she cleared her throat as she moved to let him up.   
“Stupid clock,” Roxas grumbled as he ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm down and get his head together. Xion laughed and kissed his cheek, then leaned her head on his shoulder.   
“We don’t want to be late,” she pointed out. “Besides, is this really how you want Axel to find out about us?” He snorted.   
“I’d really rather not have that talk with him,” he said. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head. “I… wasn’t being too forward, was I? I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”  
“Quite the opposite,” she admitted shyly. “I… wanted more.” She gave his neck a quick nuzzle. “I don’t really know how to explain it. But I definitely didn’t want to stop.”  
“Me neither,” he agreed. “I love holding you so close. It’s… nice when it can just be the two of us.”   
“Mm…” She pecked his cheek and stood up, straightening out her shirt. “I’d better go before Axel attempts to make breakfast again.” She started for the door, but turned back and winked at him. “Love you, Roxas.” He smiled.   
“Love you too.” With that, she left, and he got out of bed to get himself ready.  
Sure enough, a short while later, they found Lea in their small kitchen making what appeared to be scrambled eggs. Whether they were originally intended to be scrambled was anyone’s guess. He, as usual, was wearing the apron that Roxas and Xion had gotten him as a joke, as it read “Flamin’ Hot Chef” in rather messy lettering. A joke it may have been, but he wore it every time he tried to cook.   
“Morning, kids!” He laughed. “Sleep well?”  
“Yup,” Roxas said, and Xion nodded in agreement. “You?”  
“Can’t complain,” Lea replied. “Anything interesting going on at school today?”  
“Algebra test,” Roxas grumbled as he opened the fridge and poured himself a glass of juice. “Olette has been an absolute lifesaver tutoring us.”   
“Not that Hayner has been any help,” Xion joked. “He can’t stay on one topic unless it’s athletic.”   
“You guys’ll do fine,” Lea said with a grin as he dished up the eggs. “Come on, eat up. I gotta get to work.”  
“What’s the rush?” Xion asked as they sat down.   
“Just wanna finish my stuff early,” Lea replied. “Isa and I are gonna hang out this afternoon.” A flicker of hurt crossed her face for a brief moment, though she shook it off quickly. Even so, Roxas gave her hand an empathetic squeeze under the table.   
The two of them were trying hard to get along with Isa, but it wasn’t easy. He was doing much better now that he was free from Xehanort’s influence and had recovered his heart, but it was difficult for either of them to look past the terrible things he had said and done back in the Organization, especially to Xion. He had apologized profusely and respected their boundaries, rarely coming into their home and asking them beforehand if it was okay if he joined them at the clock tower. For an ordinary person, it may not have been as big of a deal to move past that year under Xemnas, but both Roxas and Xion only had about three years total of experience in life. It took up far more time for them than anyone else.   
Roxas and Xion tried to be mindful as well of Lea’s friendship with Isa, and the moments before Saïx had dissolved into darkness after his defeat were burned into their memories. Lea and Isa had evidently rekindled the close friendship they had before they lost their hearts, and the teens were happy for Lea. No one wanted to make him choose between his friends, so they did their best to get along.  
“Sounds fun,” Roxas said with a smile. “Don’t do anything too stupid.” Lea crumpled up a napkin and chucked it at Roxas, who dodged it and laughed. “Nice shot.” Lea rolled his eyes and returned to his breakfast, and the two teens did the same.   
Roxas and Xion bade a good day to Lea and headed out into town, and they met up with Hayner, Pence, and Olette by the Usual Spot. Hayner was already complaining about their math test and an upcoming presentation project he had to do, and Pence looked like he was still half asleep even as he tried to calm Hayner down. Olette waved as Roxas and Xion approached them, a smile on her face.   
“Good morning,” she greeted, and they both said hello. “You guys ready for the test?”  
“Thanks to you,” Xion replied with a grin. “We’d be goners without your help!” Olette almost looked a bit flustered at that.  
“It’s the least I can do! I’m just glad someone pays attention to my help.” She shot a look at Hayner.   
“C’mon, man, we’re gonna be late,” Pence was saying.  
“Fine,” Hayner groaned. “Purgatory awaits. Hey, Roxas!” He ran up and slung his arm around the boy’s shoulders. “I have to give a history report next week. Think you could help a guy out?”  
“Why exactly do you think I could help you with that?” Roxas inquired with half an attempt at shrugging him off.   
“I’m sure everyone’s gonna talk about the oh so interesting history of town and how the tram system was built, or something dumb like that. I wanna do something more interesting. Can you hook me up with some information about the whole ‘Realm in Between’ thing?” Roxas ducked away and stared at him while Xion audiably sighed.   
“What part of ‘protect the world order’ don’t you understand?” He asked rather sharply, and Hayner just grinned at him.  
“All of it,” Pence said plainly, and both Olette and Xion laughed.   
“Okay, okay,” Hayner held his hands up. “I figured it was worth a shot. Maybe I’ll write about Mr. McDuck’s business success.”   
The five of them emerged in the sandlot where the Struggle tournaments were held, about five minutes out from where they went to school. It was fairly quiet, though voices could be heard beyond as other students passed by. But as soon as Roxas set foot on the lot itself, about a dozen Heartless suddenly appeared from nowhere. He leapt back and immediately summoned his Keyblades as Xion did the same.   
“Hang back, guys!” She said quickly. “We’ve got this.” Roxas scanned over their opponents quickly. They were all Emblem Heartless, from the look of it. They were made up mostly of Soldiers, Red Nocturnes, and Blue Rhapsodies, though a Large Body suddenly appeared as well behind them.   
“Long time, no see,” Roxas grumbled. “Let’s make this quick.” He and Xion wasted no time charging into the fray, and he slashed Oathkeeper through a Soldier and dispatched it with little effort. Xion did the same with her Replica Kingdom Key, leaping up and knocking down two of the musical casters.  
“You got this, guys!” Hayner cheered. “Show ‘em who’s boss!”  
“Take ‘em down!” Pence said excitedly. Xion finished off another Soldier as Roxas did the same with another Red Nocturne.   
“Uh, guys!” Olette yelped.   
“Get back, freak!” Hayner delivered a rather impressive punch to the Blue Rhapsody nearing them, knocking it back, but it reared up and prepared its ice magic.   
“Fire!” Xion called, a burst of flame igniting from the tip of her Keyblade and putting an end to the Heartless. That left the Large Body, and Roxas leapt up and slashed both Keyblades into its back, knocking it forward. Xion enveloped her Keyblade in thunder magic and struck their opponent, and it disappeared in a burst of darkness.   
Once they had assured that there weren’t any stragglers, they both straightened up and dismissed their Keyblades. Hayner and the others ran over to join them, and he was giddy.   
“I always forget you guys can do stuff like that,” he said. “Nice job.”  
“Any idea why they showed up?” Pence wondered, and Roxas and Xion exchanged a curious look.  
“No clue,” Roxas replied. “I haven’t heard from anyone else about it.” Xion frowned and scanned the area.  
“Roxas, did you notice anything weird about those Heartless?” She asked, and he pondered it for a moment before shaking his head. “They were Emblem Heartless. So they were supposed to release hearts when they were defeated. They hammered that into our heads. But these guys?” She gestured to the lot. “They didn’t. They just vanished. No hearts.” He blinked and thought back to the fight, and sure enough, he couldn’t recall any hearts coming from the Heartless.  
“That’s the entire deal with Emblem Heartless…” He scratched his chin. “So why didn’t they?”   
All five of them suddenly looked up at the sound of the bell from the school nearby.   
“Uh, let’s talk about this when we won’t be late,” Olette said quickly. They hurried out of the lot, though Roxas glanced back toward it and Xion slowed down.   
“Makes something like school seem so trivial,” she murmured, and he chuckled and nodded.   
“Why do we go, again?” He said lightly.   
“For some sense of normalcy,” she said with a smirk.   
“Yeah, but what about us is normal?” He shrugged. She laughed.  
“Come on, let’s get going.” They hurried to catch up with the others, unaware of the figure standing atop one of the buildings, watching them from behind the mask of a leopard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> VenAqua may be my OTP but I am discovering that I really love RokuShi fluff. Those precious babies deserve happiness.  
Also domesticated Lea is a blessing.


	6. Chapter V: A Slip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Despite constant warnings, Riku’s health slips, and that leaves Kairi and Naminé to look after him. If only it were so simple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did update the description of this story, but I’d like to note this here as well: I began drafting and writing this story way before Re:Mind came out, so some elements may not line up exactly with the DLC. Just something to keep in mind. Thank you!

“Honestly…” Naminé shook her head as she stirred a pot of broth on the stove in Riku’s kitchen. Kairi stood next to her, cutting up vegetables and adding them to the pot once she was finished with each one. Kairi gave her former Nobody a sympathetic half smile.  
“I know, I know… you tried to warn him. But you know how he is. Once he sets his mind on something, he won’t stop for anything.”  
“I know,” Naminé sighed. “Thank you for helping.”  
“Of course!” Kairi said. “I want to look after him too. And…” Her smile faded. “I know I’m not very useful in all the research and all that, so I want to help where I can.” Naminé set the spoon aside and placed her hand on Kairi’s shoulder.  
“I know he appreciates you and what you do for him. And I’m sure Sora is out there somewhere, waiting to come back to you.” Kairi’s smile returned, even if only slightly.  
“Thank you. And I’ll wait for him for as long as it takes. If he needs a light to follow home, I’m glad to give him that light.” Naminé nodded and gave the pot one more stir, then placed a lid on it and sat back at the small kitchen table.  
“So…” Kairi sat down as well. “Any leads?” Naminé shook her head.  
“Not that he’s told me. He says he’s trying to find any links between the Realm of Sleep and whatever lies beyond. He was Sora’s Dream Eater, after all. He’s trying to see if he can use that somehow.” She picked up her mug and took a sip of tea from it. “Ansem and Ienzo are looking into it as well… But they don’t have any solid ideas or plans.”  
“I remember asking Merlin about the Realm of Sleep,” Kairi said. “He said it’s a strange existence of worlds caught between the Realm of Light and destruction. I guess it’s possible that Sora is there somewhere… Riku told me that he dove awfully deep into the darkness of Sleep. And Xehanort said something about Sora’s time being… something. Up, I guess.” She took a shaky breath. “Has Ven been able to offer any help?”  
“His sleep was something different than what Sora and Riku went through for their exam,” Naminé replied. “I don’t think anyone has really traversed worlds through the Realm of Sleep like they have. Not in our circles, anyway.” She sighed gently. “I suppose great power comes with an even greater price. Sora’s heart was… is full of light, but it also was steeped in such terrible darkness. Don’t ask me how I know that, but I could just… tell.”  
“You were still connected to him even when you and I joined together,” Kairi offered, and Naminé gave a small nod. “You were born when he turned that Keyblade on himself to save me, just like Roxas. It makes sense that you still have that connection.”  
“I have it because of you,” Naminé replied with a smile. “Sora was and is willing to do anything for you. You mean everything to him.” Kairi’s eyes darkened.  
“I know… I almost wish he wasn’t so quick to put himself in danger for me. If I had been stronger, if I could take care of myself, he… he’d probably still be here.” Her last few words were strangled, and she blinked back tears. Naminé took her hand and gave it a sympathetic squeeze.  
“That wasn’t your fault,” she said firmly, catching Kairi’s attention. “It was Xehanort’s. All of this was his doing. Sora followed his heart like he always does, and that led him to making sure you were safe. You can’t blame him or yourself.” Kairi took a deep breath and steadied herself.  
“I guess you’re right… I just want him to come home.”  
“We all do. And somehow, we’ll make it happen. His heart is strong. I believe he’s out there somewhere, waiting for us to bring him back.” The two sat in silence for a short time, and Naminé stood up and checked the pot. After a quick taste test, she nodded.  
“I think it’s ready,” she said as she grabbed a bowl and started ladling soup into it. “Help yourself, and I’m going to take him a bowl.”  
“Let me know how he’s doing,” Kairi bade, and Naminé smiled and dipped her head.  
“I will.” With that, she took a spoon from a drawer and headed back to Riku’s bedroom. She eased the door open and found him laying in bed reading some stack of papers or other, and once she cleared her throat, his eyes darted up and he nearly threw his reading material to the side.  
“You really don’t know how to take a break, do you?” She chided gently as she came to stand at his side. “You’re not doing yourself any favors, you know.”  
“Can’t stop,” he murmured. His eyes weren’t nearly as alert as usual, and she touched the back of her hand to his forehead. Sure enough, he still burned with fever.  
“You need to stop,” she said. “You need to rest and get better. And you’re not going to if you keep working yourself to death.” He looked like he wanted to argue, but didn’t have the strength to do so. “Come on, I have some soup for you. Can you sit up?” It took him a bit more effort than she cared to admit, but he managed to sit himself up and took the bowl from her.  
“Thanks,” he said and took a small spoonful. “‘T’s good.”  
“I’m glad to hear it,” she replied as she sat down next to him. “How are you feeling anyway? And tell me honestly.”  
“Hurt,” Riku replied between spoonfuls. “Headache, pain all over.” She gave him a sympathetic look.  
“That’s why you need to focus on getting well, right?” He gave her a sheepish nod. “Then eat up and take it easy. Do you want an ice pack?”  
“Please.”  
“I’ll be right back.” She stood up and headed back to the kitchen where Kairi was finishing up a bowl of soup, and she looked up curiously.  
“How’s he doing?” She asked, and Naminé shook her head.  
“He’s still trying to do his research,” she sighed. “Says he has a headache and hurts all over. But he’s eating. I came out to get him some ice.” She opened the freezer and retrieved a cold compress, then returned to Riku’s bedroom where she found he had about finished his soup.  
“Do you want any more?” She asked as she again came to his side and laid the compress across his forehead.  
“No, thanks,” he said groggily, and he already looked like he was having trouble keeping his eyes open.  
“You’re welcome.” She smiled. “You get some sleep, okay, Riku? Kairi and I are just outside if you need anything. You just get better.” She started for the door as he nodded off.  
“Thanks, Naminé,” he mumbled, and she turned to him to reply. “Love you…” And he was out. Naminé blinked and stared at him, then quietly stepped out and eased the door shut.  
She nearly sprinted back into the kitchen where Kairi jumped to her feet, alarm on her face.  
“What’s wrong?!” She demanded as Naminé came to a halt, stunned as she tried to collect her thoughts. “Naminé! What’s the matter?”  
“N-Nothing.” She sat down with a slump, and Kairi returned to her chair more slowly. “He just…” she shook her head vigorously. “He’s delirious. Doesn’t know what he’s saying.”  
“What did he say?” Kairi asked.  
“He…” a wave of embarrassment washed over her. “He said ‘Love you.’” Kairi looked just as surprised as she felt.  
“He said he loves you?” She repeated, and Naminé nodded. “Wow…” She smiled. “I don’t think he’s necessarily delirious. If he can try to read all those papers and texts, he can probably sort through his feelings.” She snickered. “I know he has a way of kinda blurting things out when he’s not always thinking straight, but I don’t think he would just make that up from nothing.”  
“So you really think he might feel that way about me?” Naminé dared to ask, and Kairi nodded excitedly.  
“Why not? You two have been fairly close the past couple of years. And you have a thing for him too, don’t you?” Naminé’s face burned at the suggestion.  
“Wh-Why do you say that?”  
“I know you pretty well,” Kairi teased. “I see the way you look at him sometimes when you think he won’t notice.” She grinned, and Naminé ducked her head down.  
“I can’t hide anything from you,” she said. “I do feel something for Riku… More and more, I want to be with him. I want to see him smile, and…”  
“Hold him, protect him, be there for him no matter what?” Kairi offered, and Naminé looked up at her again.  
“Yeah, something like that. How did you know?”  
“Because…” Kairi’s smile fell a bit. “I feel that way about Sora. There’s not a doubt in my mind or my heart that I love him. I should have told him before when I had the chance.” She brightened again and met Namine’s gaze. “Don’t make that mistake. If you love Riku, tell him. Though…” she laughed. “Maybe wait until he feels better.”  
“Of course!” Naminé scoffed. “...Thank you, Kairi. I’m really glad I can talk with you so openly. You’ve been so wonderful to me all this time… I owe you so much.”  
“Not at all,” Kairi replied. “You’re my sister now, Naminé. I’m happy to do whatever I can for you. Even gossiping about boys.” Naminé giggled and nodded.  
“Maybe not all the time,” she said. As she thought everything over and her mind drifted back to Riku, she couldn’t help but notice the fluttering in her chest. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad feeling after all.


	7. Chapter VI: Ties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New bonds are forged and old acquaintances suddenly appear.

The incessant alarm clock on Roxas’s nightstand went off as usual, and he grumbled and reached over Xion to hit the snooze button. She huffed some grumble or other and shifted in closer to his chest, and he held her tightly.  
“Ow,” she said, though it was muffled.  
“Ow?” He echoed. “What’s wrong?” She shifted back slightly to meet his gaze, and she smiled.  
“Just… ah, sore. I wasn’t expecting it to hurt so much. I’m not blaming you!” She added quickly at the sight of his guilty look. “You were gentle and you made sure I was okay.” Her smile grew warmly. “It was wonderful, Roxas.”  
“I guess we need to get used to it,” he said rather flatly in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. A rather stupid thought ran through his head, but he couldn’t help but snort.  
“What?” She looked at him curiously.  
“Nothing, just a dumb attempt at a joke,” he said.  
“Tell me.” She tilted her head. “We have nothing to hide from each other, right?”  
“Right…” he chuckled. “Uh…” He couldn’t bring himself to look her in the eye. “I guess we finally… joined together.” She stared at him for about half a second before she burst out laughing, and she smacked his chest.  
“Leave it to you to think of something like that!” She shook her head and sat up as she recovered herself. “Well, I’m glad we did.”  
“Me too,” he agreed and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “I love you, Xion. I can’t imagine living without you. I never want to let you go again.”  
“You don’t have to,” she said as she leaned against him. “We’re free to follow our hearts now, and mine leads to you.”  
“And mine to you,” he replied. She kissed him again, persisting for quite some time, and he couldn’t help but be a little bit disappointed when she pulled away.  
“I guess I should go before Axel gets up,” she said glumly. “We’re gonna have to tell him, you know.”  
“I know…” he sighed. “I’m trying to think of a way to. I doubt he’ll necessarily have an issue with us, but I don’t want him to just be awkward about it or start being weird around us.”  
“You mean weirder than he already is?” She laughed, and he grinned.  
“Yeah, believe it or not.” She smiled and kissed his cheek, then stood up. They were both dressed despite the level their relationship had taken that night, seeing as it would be awkward enough to explain to Lea why they spent the night together, let alone what they had done with that night, even if it had been the first time.  
“I’ll see you in a bit,” she said as she gave him a somewhat coy smile.  
“Can’t wait,” he replied, and she stepped out and closed the door behind her. He laid back and let out a huff as he stared at the ceiling. It was almost unbelievable how many barriers and reservations they had with each other just because they refused to admit their feelings for each other. But in hardly a month, so much had changed. All of those inhibitions had all but vanished, and their relationship and bond had grown so much stronger. Roxas did truly feel as though Xion was his other half. He dreaded being apart from her and this arbitrary charade they had to put on just for Lea’s sake. They had to find a way to break the news to him gently as soon as they could.  
He got out of bed and changed his clothes, got ready for the day, and headed out of his room. Lea was still asleep from the look of it, so he had the living room and kitchen to himself for the moment. He poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat down, eating absentmindedly. Weekends were fairly relaxed for the three of them, as Lea didn’t have to be at work until the afternoon and Roxas and Xion could pick up odd jobs at their leisure.  
Xion came out maybe twenty minutes later and gave him a quick hug and peck on the cheek, and he smiled as she ran her fingers along his back briefly. She went to find breakfast for herself, and Lea finally emerged about a half an hour after Roxas had. He was wearing a pair of sweatpants, no shirt, and a noticeable look of disdain for being awake.  
“Good morning, sunshine,” Xion said with a smirk as Lea sat down, barely keeping his eyes open. He grunted in response.  
“When did you finally get home last night?” Roxas asked.  
“I dunno,” Lea grumbled. “One-ish?”  
“Sheesh, that’s late even for you,” Xion said. “What were you guys doing?”  
“Just hangin’ out,” he replied, gaining a bit more of a grasp on actual language. “Nothin’ much.” They decided to forego any further conversation until he had a chance to wake up. Xion took out a notebook to review some of their upcoming assignments and Roxas picked up a novel he’d been reading on and off. Neither got very far before a knock on the door interrupted them.  
“I got it.” Roxas got up and went over to answer, and he found Pence waiting on their front step.  
“Morning,” he said with a slightly uneasy smile, and Roxas frowned.  
“What’s up, man?” He asked. “Something happen?”  
“Are Xion and Axel home too?” Pence wondered, and Roxas nodded. “A couple of people were asking around town about you guys. I didn’t even think about it when I told ‘em I know you, and they said they want you all to meet them in front of the clock tower.”  
“Anyone you recognize?” Roxas asked a bit warily, and Pence shook his head.  
“Nope. A man and a woman, maybe in their early or mid twenties or so, guy had pink hair and the girl was blond.” Roxas blinked and stiffened. “Uh… I take it you know them?”  
“Probably,” he huffed. “Old ‘friends’ of ours. You guys should stay away from them right now.”  
“Got it,” Pence said. “I’ll pass on the message.” With that, he waved and left, and Roxas shut the door before trudging back to Lea and Xion, who both looked up at him curiously.  
“That was Pence,” he said. “He came by to tell us there are a couple of strangers looking for us, and they want us to meet them in front of the clock tower. A guy with pink hair and a blond girl.” He grimaced.  
“You don’t think… Marluxia and Larxene?” Xion asked. Lea pursed his lips and stood up.  
“Guess we should go see what they want. Put an end to it before they do too much damage.” Xion nodded and sighed as she stood as well.  
“So much for a quiet weekend,” she said flatly, and Lea snorted humorlessly, then headed back to his room.  
A short while later, the three of them went up through the station heights to the plaza at the base of the clock tower, scanning the area warily. Sure enough, a pink-haired man was standing on the steps leading to the station itself, garbed in dusty, dark pink pants, black boots, a white, long sleeved shirt, and a black waistcoat about down to his knees. Leaning on a pillar next to him was a blond-haired woman wearing a v-neck white top, a light blue, fitted jacket, and a fairly short dark skirt. Even from a distance, they certainly looked familiar.  
Roxas, Xion, and Lea made no attempt to hide their approach, though Lea stepped in front of the two teens. The man waved, much to their surprise, and the woman shoved off the pillar and went to stand at his side with her arms crossed.  
“Hello, Lea, Roxas, Xion,” the man said as he made his way down the steps. “Thank you for meeting us.”  
“Gotta say I’m surprised to see you here,” Lea grumbled. “I thought you both kicked the bucket.”  
“Sure, our Heartless and Nobodies did,” the woman said with a shrug. “You should understand that better than anyone else, huh, Lea?” She smirked at him. “So we’re both back in one piece. And turns out our history is more interesting than we thought.”  
“What does that mean?” Roxas inquired. The two exchanged a quick look.  
“I suppose introductions are in order,” the man said. “I am Lauriam.”  
“Name’s Elrena,” his companion said. “Funny thing happens when you don’t have your heart for a stupid long time. Apparently you forget crap about who you used to be.” She looked at Lea slyly. “At least you had Isa as a reminder.”  
“What about you two?” Lea shot back. “What’s your ‘history?’”  
“We were… acquaintances, I suppose,” Lauriam said. “Comrades-in-arms, allies… not quite friends, but familiar enough. Sadly, many of those memories remain locked in the shadow of time.”  
“So… you know you knew each other, but not how?” Xion inquired, arms crossed. “That’s convenient.”  
“I understand your mistrust,” Lauriam said. “And whether you accept it or not, I do apologize for the terrible things I’ve done. But I also want you to know that we’ve been on the same side since the beginning.”  
“Ha!” Roxas laughed harshly. “Same side? You took Naminé prisoner, tried to brainwash Sora into being your personal puppet, and joined Xehanort’s Seekers.”  
“Yeah, it looks bad,” Elrena grumbled. “But neither of us really wanted to work for Xehanort. Power? Sure, that seemed like a nice perk, but I wasn’t about to let some old fart’s heart take over my body. But maybe we still knew we were after Kingdom Hearts.”  
“Just not in the way we originally intended,” Lauriam added. “Our duty was to protect Kingdom Hearts. Unfortunately, over the years, we both forgot our true purpose and were led astray by the darkness.”  
“Protect Kingdom Hearts?” Roxas echoed. “Why you?” Again, Lauriam and Elrena looked at each other, and she cracked a smile. She held her hand out, and with a flash, a Keyblade appeared in her grip.  
Roxas, Xion, and Lea all leapt back, and Roxas quickly summoned Oathkeeper and Oblivion. “How do you have that?!” He demanded.  
“Relax, Roxas,” Lauriam bade, and he summoned a Keyblade that bore a strong resemblance to Elrena’s. “We’ve been Keyblade wielders for a long time. Now that we’ve recovered our hearts, we can return to our duty. Which is why we sought you out.”  
“Wait, wait,” Lea massaged his tense forehead. “Is there anyone who doesn’t have a Keyblade anymore?”  
“You tell us, Lea,” Elrena chided.  
“Long story short, I need to see Ventus,” Lauriam said. “And seeing how I don’t know what world he and his friends have made their home in and Riku isn’t likely to give us a moment to explain, I hoped you three would help us.”  
“Why Ven?” Roxas asked. Lauriam frowned.  
“I… believe we once knew each other,” he replied. “I understand that this all sounds made up at best. But unfortunately, our recollection isn’t very strong. I hope that we’ll regain more of our memories over time.”  
“Have any Heartless been bothering you?” Elrena nearly interrupted. Xion gave a nod. “Noticed any weird Emblem Heartless that aren’t actually releasing hearts?”  
“Yeah,” Xion replied. “A group of them attacked us about a few days ago.”  
“We’re pretty sure they’re not actually Heartless,” Elrena went on. “Or at least not real in the conventional way. What little I do remember tells me that I’ve fought pests like that before. They didn’t release hearts… but they did release Lux, and that was our goal.”  
“Lux?” Roxas and Lea both repeated.  
“It’s a form of light, if I recall correctly,” Lauriam explained. “As you may or may not know, Emblem Heartless were created accidentally by Xehanort and Ansem’s apprentices before they became Nobodies. But we faced them before that ever happened. So… somehow, I believe that the Heartless we were fighting were… projections, perhaps? That may be a good word for it. Projections from the future.” He chewed his lip slightly and crossed his arms. Even he looked perplexed. “Even I think it’s preposterous, but that’s what I remember. I just wish I knew how or why, or why Lux was so important.”  
The five of them stood in awkward, tense silence for several moments. Roxas hoped Lea hadn’t noticed how close he had gotten to Xion, both his Keyblades held at the ready to defend not himself, but her. Or perhaps he more hoped Lauriam and Elrena, if they were truly whole again, wouldn’t notice either. He certainly didn’t want them making any sudden moves with their Keyblades in hand.  
“You’ll have to forgive me if I think this is a load of bullshit,” Lea snapped. “So you suddenly have Keyblades and you knew each other before the Organization, where you were all buddy buddy and plotting to overthrow Xemnas, all by using Naminé and nearly destroying Sora. But now you’re the good guys?”  
“Look, you didn’t exactly keep your nose clean back then,” Elrena shot back. “We get that it sounds like a load of crap. But what reason would we have to make all this up? The old coot is gone, Kingdom Hearts vanished, and the χ-Blade is off with Sora, wherever he is, right?” The five of them stood there for some time, but Roxas straightened up and lowered his Keyblades.  
"All right, look," Lea said as he crossed his arms. "We're not gonna outright tell you where Ven is. But I'll tell him you're looking for him, and if he agrees to meet you, then you're his problem. So meet us back here this evening and we'll talk."  
"That is more than fair," Lauriam said with a smile, and he dismissed his Keyblade. Elrena did the same a moment later. "Thank you, Lea, Roxas, Xion. I hope we can work together moving forward."  
"We'll see," Roxas replied with barely masked animosity. "No funny business in the meantime, got it?"  
"Yeah, yeah," Elrena waved him off. "See you guys later." With that, and a nod from Lauriam, they walked past the trio and left the tower. Once they were out of sight, the three exchanged a few uneasy looks.  
"Guess we better call Ven," Xion said, and both Roxas and Lea nodded and started back home.


End file.
